With at least five days of testimony already on the record, the Anse Cochon Commission of Inquiry heard Monday that the officer assigned to investigate the boat collision that killed four people was denied the help of his own team after his superintendent told him it was unnecessary.
Corporal Luciano Garde, who supervises the Police Marine Intelligence and Investigations Unit, told commissioners that Superintendent Alfred called him at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 19. He reached the Marine Unit base at Vigie around 2:30 a.m. and was instructed to remain there. At 5:09 p.m., he was formally put in charge of the collision investigation.
Garde said he immediately asked for the three other members of his unit, who had already been assigned to Carnival duties. The request was denied. Asked what he did next, Garde said he began investigating on his own and sought help from a separate Criminal Investigations Department team looking into an alleged incident aboard a yacht.
The collision between Ocean Angel and Cazorla Jr. happened late on Saturday, July 18, off Anse Cochon, Anse La Raye. Four people died and several others were injured. Garde said he first reached the collision site on Tuesday morning, July 21. He told the commission the trip from the Marine Unit base took less than 10 minutes by patrol boat.
Retired Justice Mario Michel, who chairs the inquiry, questioned the apparent lack of urgency in the collision investigation on Sunday and Monday. Garde said Marine Unit crews were already searching for missing people by the time he arrived at the base on Sunday. He said he arranged for a scenes-of-crime officer to come to the base that morning, and that the officer photographed and processed the recovered wreckage of Cazorla Jr. on Monday.
Pressed on why he could not get to Anse Cochon on Monday, Garde said one vessel had already been assigned to Carnival and two were searching for missing people. He told commissioners the search took priority over his visit to the scene.
On Tuesday, Garde said he went to Ti Kaye Resort, where he arranged for a statement to be taken from a security officer who was on duty the night of the collision. He then went to Soufrière, where he checked police and hospital records, contacted survivors and began arranging post-mortem examinations.
Commissioners also asked how police and maritime officials coordinated their work. Garde said he received help from several agencies, including the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority’s Division of Maritime Affairs, and that investigators communicated regularly. He said there had been no joint briefing involving all the agencies.
The commission is expected to hear further testimony this week from Police Marine Unit officers, scenes-of-crime personnel and members of the Saint Lucia Fire Service who responded to the incident.
